Emergencies and urgent care in Spain

Call 112 for danger to life or safety: cardiac or respiratory arrest, loss of consciousness, severe bleeding, severe chest pain, suspected stroke (drooping face, arm weakness or speech difficulty), choking, a serious accident, fire, drowning, a crime in progress.

• The operator asks which service you need then your exact address and area and what happened.
• Speak clearly and calmly and answer the questions, and do not hang up until the operator tells you, since they may guide you in first aid.
• The operator can roughly locate you but state the street, house number and floor.
• If your language is weak say English or your language and they will try to provide an interpreter.
• And apps such as ES-Alert and 112 exist to locate position.

For health emergencies in many regions 061 (Catalonia 061 CatSalut Respon, Andalusia 061), and in Madrid SUMMA 112 and SAMUR for the city.

• For the national police 091, the civil guard 062 and the local police 092.
• For violence against women 016, which is free and confidential and does not appear on the phone bill, and works around the clock in dozens of languages, and for children and adolescents 116 111.
• For suicide prevention 024, a free line available around the clock.
• For the poison information centre 91 562 04 20.
• To report hate crimes and discrimination look for special sections in the national police.
• Save these numbers in your phone and tell your family members.
• And apps such as AlertCops provide quick reporting to the police.

For urgent non-life-threatening cases such as a high fever in a child, abdominal pain, a wound needing stitches or a urinary infection, you can go to urgent care at the on-call health centre (Punto de Atención Continuada) or call 061, mostly without appointment.

• Hospital emergency (urgencias) receives serious cases and cases are classified by seriousness by a colour triage system (triaje), so you may wait hours if your condition is less serious.
• Bring your health card, ID and a list of your medicines and allergies.
• You are treated without being asked about legal status.
• If you do not understand ask for an interpreter.
• And before leaving ask about follow-up instructions and appointments.
• Emergency care is free in the public hospital for those with a card or for acute emergencies.

Learn basic first aid in a short course offered by the Spanish Red Cross (Cruz Roja), civil protection or municipalities: cardiopulmonary resuscitation, stopping bleeding by pressure, treating burns and choking (the Heimlich manoeuvre), and dealing with fainting.

• In public places there are automated external defibrillators (DEA) that anyone can use with voice guidance.
• In a minor burn cool the area with running water for ten minutes and do not use ice or butter.
• Place an unconscious casualty on their side (recovery position).
• Do not move an accident casualty except in necessity.
• And authorities advise keeping a first-aid kit at home and in the car and updating its contents.

Post on the fridge the emergency numbers, your address in Spanish and a list of your medicines and allergies, and teach older children how to call 112.

• Know the location of the nearest health centre, hospital and on-duty pharmacy.
• Check the validity of the fire extinguisher and smoke detector.
• In domestic violence do not stay silent: call 016 or 112, and go to the police or a family centre, and there are shelters and free legal and psychological support, and no legal status is required for urgent protection.
• For minors at risk the line 116 111.
• In natural disasters such as floods and fires you receive ES-Alert notifications on your phone, so follow civil protection instructions at once and do not ignore them.

What is the European emergency number?